The San Francisco 49ers didn’t make it back to the Super Bowl this year, but they still found ways to make headlines the day of the Big Game.

San Francisco wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade after the season ended, and on Sunday, news broke that the 49ers had given Samuel and his agent permission to seek a trade partner.

A potential trade is likely the best-case scenario for both sides. Niners quarterback Brock Purdy is eligible to sign an extension this offseason, the team just paid Brandon Aiyuk No. 1 wide receiver money last year and Samuel has a potential out on his contract this year. If the 29-year-old is looking for a bigger payday, he’s more likely to find it elsewhere.

Here’s everything to know about what could be an eventful offseason ahead for Samuel:

All things 49ers: Latest San Francisco 49ers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Deebo Samuel next team odds

The 49ers are still the favorite to be Samuel’s team in 2025, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Other wide receiver-needy teams – the Steelers, Broncos, Panthers and Commanders – trail behind them.

Here are all 32 teams’ odds to have Samuel on their rosters by Week 1 of the 2025 season:

San Francisco 49ers: +250
Pittsburgh Steelers: +550
Denver Broncos: +650
Carolina Panthers: +650
Washington Commanders: +850
New England Patriots: +1000
Kansas City Chiefs: +1200
Buffalo Bills: +1200
Los Angeles Chargers: +1400
New York Giants: +1600
Las Vegas Raiders: +1600
Baltimore Ravens: +1600
Houston Texans: +1800
Tennessee Titans: +2500
Philadelphia Eagles: +2500
Detroit Lions: +2500
Green Bay Packers: +3000
Chicago Bears: +3000
New York Jets: +3500
Miami Dolphins: +3500
Los Angeles Rams: +4000
Jacksonville Jaguars: +4000
Dallas Cowboys: +4000
Cincinnati Bengals: +4000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +5000
Indianapolis Colts: +5000
Atlanta Falcons: +5000
Arizona Cardinals: +5000
Seattle Seahawks: +7500
New Orleans Saints: +7500
Minnesota Vikings: +7500
Cleveland Browns: +7500

Deebo Samuel landing spots

What would be the best landing spot for Samuel? Here’s how he’d fit in with the teams that are favored to land the 49ers receiver:

San Francisco 49ers (+250)

We have six years of actual data to show how Samuel fits in with the 49ers. This past season seemed to have indicated that his future role in San Francisco, if he remains, will be more diminished than it was for the early years of his career. Jauan Jennings saw 32 more targets and hauled in 26 more passes than Samuel in 2024.

Samuel has one more year left on his contract as well as a potential out. Given Aiyuk’s payday last offseason and Purdy’s upcoming extension, it’s hard to see where Samuel fits in the 49ers’ plans both on the field and in their cap allocations for 2025.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+550)

Pittsburgh’s contributions from the wide receivers room were lackluster in 2024. Of the Steelers’ top five pass-catchers by yardage, only two of them – George Pickens and Calvin Austin – played wide receiver. Tight end Pat Freiermuth and the running back duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren took up the other three spots.

The team’s midseason acquisition of Mike Williams did little to improve the state of the receivers room. The Steelers will be heavily targeting another wideout to pair with Pickens this offseason and will remain high on the potential landing spots list of any free agent, trade target or draft prospect that plays wide receiver.

Samuel in particular is a nice fit in Pittsburgh as a ‘Z’ receiver (or flanker) that can pair with Pickens, who is more of a big-bodied ‘X’ (or split end).

Denver Broncos (+650)

The Broncos’ passing game in 2024 was quarterback Bo Nix, wide receiver Courtland Sutton … (WIDE GAP) … then everyone else. Sutton saw more than twice as many targets (135) as Denver’s cast of secondary receivers – Marvin Mims Jr. (52), Devaughn Vele (55), Troy Franklin (53) and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (45).

Denver is another team that will be seeking a No. 2 receiver in the offseason to pair with the dominant Sutton. Samuel is once again a nice option for the Broncos to fill the ‘Z’ spot opposite Sutton, a No. 1, ‘X’ receiver.

Carolina Panthers (+650)

The late-season surge of quarterback Bryce Young is no doubt something the Panthers are hoping to build off of in 2025. To capitalize on the strong foundation Young built for himself in 2024, Carolina will need to upgrade its receiving corps. Rookies Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker had solid debut seasons, but Legette struggled with drops and Coker projects better as a third/slot option. Veteran Adam Thielen had an impressive season despite injuries, but he’ll be 35 next season.

If the Panthers want another outside receiver that also brings an additional veteran presence to the room, Samuel could be one of their best options. That’s especially true if it allows them to spend their earlier picks on improving the rest of the roster, rather than on another young wideout.

Washington Commanders (+850)

The Commanders’ passing offense situation is extraordinarily similar to Denver’s. They’ve got a quarterback coming off of a stellar rookie season … and only one great receiver. Olamide Zaccheaus and Noah Brown, the two secondary wide receiver targets, are both set to become free agents, and neither of them reached even half of Terry McLaurin’s production in 2024.

After cornerback, wide receiver should be the next top priority for Washington in the offseason. Samuel would be a good option with a unique kind of versatility that both quarterback Jayden Daniels and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury could take advantage of.

(This story was updated with new information).

Kentucky basketball was in a heavyweight fight with No. 5 Tennessee Tuesday night at Rupp Arena — and had to battle without one of its top players.

In the second half of Tuesday’s SEC showdown, Wildcats guard Lamont Butler sustained a shoulder injury while chasing down a loose ball on the ground. He went immediately into the locker room to be tended to by members of Kentucky’s medical staff.

ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath reported that Kentucky ruled Butler out for the remainder of the game and that he re-aggravated a previous shoulder injury. He returned to the Wildcats bench in a warm-up jacket.

Butler, who had missed three games in recent weeks, finished the game with six points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field. He also had four assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Here’s the latest on Butler’s injury:

Lamont Butler injury update

In the second half of Tuesday’s top-20 matchup against Tennessee, Butler went into the locker room after appearing to aggravate his shoulder on a loose ball play.

As noted by the Louisville Courier Journal’s Ryan Black, Butler was helped to his feet and immediately went back to the locker room without stopping at the Wildcats bench.

McGrath reported that Butler was talking to Kentucky’s trainers in the locker room, and that he was visibly in pain. A few minutes later McGrath reported that when Butler returned to the bench after being tended to by trainers, he shook his head ‘no’ to teammates when they asked if he was returning.

‘They asked him if he could return, he shook his head and said no. We did confirm that it was a reaggravation of that left shoulder injury,’ McGrath said.

Mark Pope comments on Lamont Butler’s injury

Following Kentucky’s win, Wildcats coach Mark Pope told reporters at Rupp Arena that Butler ‘torqued’ his left shoulder a little bit.

‘Super scary. It was right in front of me. The second he went down, you could see as he extended out that he torqued his left shoulder a little bit,’ Pope said. ‘Exactly what we didn’t want to do.

‘He was brave tonight, too. He’s playing as a one-arm bandit out there. … We’ll patch him together.’

Pope also said that he believes trainers can get Butler and guard Jaxson Robinson both healthy before March and the postseason.

‘I do trust that we’ll find a way to get those guys healthy as soon as possible,’ Pope said.

MEDLEY, Fla. – Unrivaled stars Napheesa Collier, Azurá Stevens, Arike Ogunbowale and Aaliyah Edwards will have a chance to play for $200,000 when the league’s 1-on-1 tournament concludes Friday.

Collier will meet Stevens in one semifinal, while Ogunbowale will meet Edwards in the other. All four players have already earned $25,000 for being semifinalists.

The two finalists will play a best-of-three series for the grand prize, while their Unrivaled teammates will each earn $10,000. The runner-up will earn $50,000.

“Obviously, the end goal is to get the $200K, but it’s nice to have this bonus right here,” Stevens told USA TODAY Sports after her win.  

“At least I know I’m leaving here with something,” Ogunbowale said with a smile about being one of four semifinalists.

The competition has been fierce, fast-paced, and fun – for the winners, at least.

Even if it means going up against a familiar face.

Collier beat her Minnesota Lynx and Unrivaled Lunar Owls teammate Courtney Williams 12-4 in the quarterfinals, after advancing past Rickea Jackson 12-5 in the second round.

Stevens beat Shakira Austin 11-4 in the second round, then Los Angeles Sparks teammate Rae Burrell 12-2 in their quarterfinal.

Ogunbowale beat fellow Notre Dame standout Skylar Diggins-Smith 11-8 in the second round, before advancing past Satou Sabally (12-8) in the quarterfinal.

“We’re all competitors. Your W teammates are on different teams here. You’re moving around all the time in the W. You’re playing overseas. So, we’re used to playing against our former teammates,” Collier said.

Edwards had the upset of the 1-on-1 tournament, beating fellow Connecticut standout Breanna Stewart in the first round on Monday. Edwards didn’t have a second-round game, and beat Allisha Gray in the quarterfinal.

Edwards, the No. 6 pick for the Washington Mystics in the 2024 WNBA draft, may not have the same acclaim just yet as her counterparts. But she certainly doesn’t feel like an underdog heading into Friday, the final day of the 1-on-1 tournament.

“I’m hearing a lot of people saying they’re surprised of my performances, but that’s what I came here to do: Get better, and prepare for the W season,” Edwards said. “I think the work is paying off as you can see.’

Unrivaled 1-on-1 quarterfinals results Tuesday

Here’s the quarterfinal results from Tuesday night:

Aaliyah Edwards beats Allisha Gray, 12-6.
Azura Stevens beats Rae Burrell, 12-2.
Napheesa Collier beats Courtney Williams, 12-4.
Arike Ogunbowale beats Satou Sabally, 12-8.

*Aaliyah Edwards, who beat Breanna Stewart, moved on to the quarterfinals due to injured players no longer being in the tournament.

Unrivaled 1-on-1 second-round results Tuesday

Here are results of the second-round games Tuesday night:

Allisha Gray beats Kahleah Copper, 11-5.
Rae Burrell beats Jewell Loyd, 11-4.
Azura Stevens beats Shakira Austin, 11-4.
Napheesa Collier beats Rickea Jackson, 12-5.
Courtney Williams beats Rhyne Howard, 11-9.
Arike Ogunbowale beats Skylar Diggins-Smith, 11-8.
Satou Sabally beats DiJonai Carrington, 11-4.

How to watch Unrivaled games Tuesday night on TV

Unrivaled is available on cable television on TNT and TruTV in the United States, and TSN+ in Canada.

Watch: Unrivaled games on Sling TV

How to live stream Unrivaled games Tuesday night

Unrivaled games are also available to live stream on Max, and internationally on YouTube.

Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament, first-round results Monday

Napheesa Collier beat Katie Lou Samuelson, 12-6
Shakira Austin beat Chelsea Gray, 12-2
Kahleah Copper beat Aliyah Boston, 11-6
Rhyne Howard beat Lexie Hull, 12-7
Skylar Diggins-Smith beat, Dearica Hamby 11-3
Allisha Gray beat Jordin Canada, 11-4
Rickea Jackson beat Jackie Young, 11-3
Aaliyah Edwards beat Breanna Stewart, 12-0

What do Unrivaled players win?

The winner of the 1-on-1 tournament will win $200,000, the runner-up will receive $50,000, and the other two semifinalists will take away $25,000. Each club teammate of the winner will also receive $10,000.

Which Unrivaled players are not participating in the 1-on-1 tournament?

Unrivaled announced Sunday night that the following players won’t participate due to injury: Tiffany Hayes, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas, Natasha Cloud, Brittney Sykes, Kate Martin and Marina Mabrey.

Angel Reese, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot, Stefanie Dolson and Cameron Brink were already scheduled to not participate.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has assembled a coaching staff of NFL greats, which includes Warren Sapp and, recently, Marshall Faulk.

With Sanders hiring Faulk, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, as running backs coach for the Buffaloes this offseason, it sparks a question. How many well-known NFL players are coaching in college football?

College football has numerous productive NFL players on various coaching staffs, from Offensive Player of the Years to All-Pros. Sanders is a hall of famer himself, as well.

Teams across the Power Four have clearly put an emphasis on hiring former players with loads of success and experience, which definitely doesn’t hurt when it comes to recruiting.

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Here’s a look at some of the most notable former NFL players coaching in the Power Four ranks in college football:

NFL players coaching in college football

Career earningsaccording to Spotrac. Some players’ earnings are not available.

Here are the most notable full-time assistants or head coaches currently in Power Four college football that played in the NFL:

Marshall Faulk, Colorado

Faulk played for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams from 1994-2005 and was named as Colorado’s running backs coach earlier this offseason.

Faulk is one of the most decorated former NFL players in college football, as he won the 2000 MVP and won three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards from 1999-2001. The six-time All-Pro running back will earn $400,000 in 2025 in his first season as a coach.

Career earnings: $48,935,000

Deion Sanders, Colorado

Sanders, the electrifying head coach of the Buffaloes, is one of three Pro Football Hall of Fame members on his Colorado staff, along with Faulk and Sapp, an analyst.

The 1994 Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time All-Pro selection went 9-4 at Colorado in 2024 after finishing 4-8 in 2023. The former defensive back also mentored his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter Jr., who are both expected to be among the top picks of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sanders got his college coaching start as the head coach at Jackson State in 2020.

Career earnings: $33,568,331

Brian Hartline, Ohio State

Hartline, who was promoted to be Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and chief play caller next season after Chip Kelly joined Pete Carroll’s coaching staff in Las Vegas, is known as perhaps the best wide receiver recruiter in college football. First-round picks Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are among those who came under Hartline’s mentorship in his short coaching career to date, with Hartline also getting superstar Jeremiah Smith to Columbus.

Hartline, a former fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Miami Dolphins from 2012-13, catching 150 passes for a combined 2,099 yards and five touchdowns in those seasons.

Hartline has been the Buckeyes’ receivers coach since 2018.

Career earnings: $18,567,975

James Lauranitis, Ohio State

Another former Buckeye, James Lauranitis was named Ohio State’s linebackers coach in 2024 after serving as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame and Ohio State in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Lauranitis was one of the better linebackers in the NFL after being drafted in the second round in 2009. The former St. Louis Ram led the NFL in tackles in 2012 and finished his career with 869 total tackles, making starts in 115 of his 117 all-time games.

Career earnings: $35,831,297

Hines Ward, Arizona State

Three-time All-Pro receiver Hines Ward was named Arizona State’s receivers coach ahead of the 2024 season, after previously spending a season as the head coach of the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas.

The two-time Super Bowl winner and 2005 Super Bowl MVP with the Pittsburgh Steelers caught 1,000 passes for 12,083 yards and 85 touchdowns in his 14 seasons, all of which were with the Steelers.

Ward played a key role on the Sun Devils’ offensive staff, helping lead Arizona State and second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Career earnings: $38,919,250

DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma

DeMarco Murray coached one season at Arizona in 2019 before returning to Oklahoma, his alma mater, in 2020 as the running backs coach.

Murray was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 with the Dallas Cowboys after rushing for a league-leading 1,845 yards with 13 touchdowns, also catching 57 passes for 416 yards.

Murray played from 2011-17 with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans, and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and 2014 first-team All-Pro pick.

Career earnings: $25,715,703

Jason Taylor, Miami

One of the most feared pass rushers of the 2000s, former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman has been Miami’s defensive ends coach since 2023.

Taylor, the Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, was a four-time All-Pro pick and holds the NFL record for most fumble return touchdowns (6). He’s one of a few Pro Football Hall of Famers on this list.

The six-time Pro Bowler is one of the most productive former NFL players coaching in college football.

Patrick Surtain Sr., Florida State

Patrick Surtain Sr., the father of Patrick Surtain Jr., who just won the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year for the Denver Broncos, was a great player himself.

Surtain Sr., currently the defensive backs coach at Florida State, was a back-to-back first-team All-Pro selection in 2002 and 2003. He intercepted 37 passes and finished his career with 547 total tackles in 11 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and and Kansas City Chiefs.

Surtain Sr. was a longtime high school coach before becoming a defensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins in 2022. He became the Seminoles’ defensive backs coach in 2023.

Chris Weinke, Georgia Tech

Chris Weinke is currently the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech after joining the program in 2022.

Weinke, of course, won the 2000 Heisman Trophy at Florida State after passing for a nation-leading 4,167 yards with 33 touchdowns. He led the Seminoles to the national championship, where they fell to Oklahoma 13-2.

Weinke played seven years in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, starting 15 games his rookie season but only five games the rest of his career in a backup role.

Weinke enrolled at FSU at 25 years old after attempting a professional baseball career before returning to college.

Career earnings: $6,564,000

CJ Spiller, Clemson

Spiller returned to Clemson, his alma mater, as a graduate intern in 2020. He was promoted to running backs coach in 2021.

The former No. 9 overall pick in 2010 was a 2012 Pro Bowl selection, and played eight seasons, most of which were with the Buffalo Bills. Spiller’s best season came in 2012, when he ran for 1,244 yards with six touchdowns, also catching 43 passes for 459 yards with two additional scores.

Spiller also played for the Saints, Seahawks, Jets and Chiefs.

Career earnings: $29,633,298

Donovan Raiola, Nebraska

Donovan Raiola is best known for being Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola’s uncle and Dominic Raiola’s brother.

Raiola, the current offensive line coach at Nebraska, played in one career NFL game although his brother was a 14-year veteran with the Lions and started 203 of his 219 games at center.

Donovan Raiola spent time on eight different practice squads in his career, with three separate stints with the St. Louis Rams.

Tashard Choice, Texas

Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice has been an up-and-coming coach in college football, recently interviewing for the Dallas Cowboys running backs coach job. Choice is staying at Texas, however.

The former fourth-round pick ran for 1,579 yards with 10 total touchdowns in his seven-year NFL career with the Cowboys, Washington, Buffalo and Indianapolis. His best season came as a rookie in 2008 when he ran for 472 yards with two touchdowns and caught 21 passes for 185 yards.

Career earnings: $3,551,985

Mike Furrey, South Carolina

Mike Furrey is one of the most interesting players on this list, as he started his college career as a walk-on at Ohio State before transferring to Northern Iowa, where he became one of the school’s best receivers ever.

Furrey, the receivers coach at South Carolina since 2024, went undrafted in 2000 and bounced around multiple teams before finding a role as a receiver and safety for the St. Louis Rams from 2003-05. His best season came in 2006, when he caught 98 passes for 1,086 yards with six touchdowns for the Detroit Lions.

Furrey has also served as the receivers coach for the Chicago Bears and was the head coach at Division II Limestone before being hired by the Gamecocks.

Mike Peterson, Florida

Mike Peterson is the outside linebackers coach at Florida, and is perhaps best known for being Adrian Peterson’s older brother.

Peterson had a solid NFL career himself, however, as he was the combined tackles leader in 2000 and a second-team All-Pro pick in 2005.

The linebacker for the Colts, Jaguars and Falcons finished his 14-year career with 1,220 total tackles, 21.5 sacks and 163 starts in 198 career games.

Peterson was previously the outside linebackers coach at South Carolina from 2016-21. He returned to Florida, his alma mater, in 2022.

Career earnings: $31,839,000

Phil Loadholt, Mississippi State

Loadholt was the offensive line coach at Colorado, serving as one of many former NFL players on Sanders’ staff in 2024. However, he was hired by Mississippi State for the same role ahead of the 2025 season.

Loadholt played seven seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, starting all 89 of his career games. He retired after 2015 season when he tore his Achilles in the preseason.

Loadholt was a second-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2009, and is in his second season as a full-time assistant coach after serving as an offensive analyst at UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma prior to Colorado.

Career earnings: $24,227,500

For the second time in the last eight seasons, it’s party time in Philadelphia.

The Eagles are Super Bowl champions, which means the City of Philadelphia is preparing to throw another championship parade to celebrate its second Lombardi Trophy. Players, coaches, staff, family members and other guests will process through the city on open-air buses to celebrate with an expected crowd of over one million fans – some local and some who traveled to be there.

It will be Philadelphia’s first parade to celebrate a local sports team’s championship since the one after the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory in 2018.

Celebrate Eagles’ Super Bowl win with our new book

The Phillies fell just short of a World Series title in 2022, and the Eagles lost their first Super Bowl matchup with the Chiefs a few months after that Fall Classic. The city’s MLS team, the Philadelphia Union, also finished as runner-up in the MLS Cup last year.

All things Eagles: Latest Philadelphia Eagles news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Here’s everything to know about the Eagles Super Bowl parade:

When is the Eagles Super Bowl parade?

The City of Philadelphia officially announced Monday that the Eagles Super Bowl parade would take place on Friday, Feb. 14. On Tuesday, the city government released more details, including the start time of the parade: 11 a.m. ET.

The city also announced a list of road closures throughout the week, the bulk of which will be in place from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Friday. Philadelphia locals can see the full list on the official government website.

How to watch Eagles Super Bowl parade

NFL Network will broadcast the festivities in Philadelphia. The parade will also be available to stream on NFL.com.

Eagles Super Bowl parade route

According to the City of Philadelphia’s Tuesday press release, the Eagles Super Bowl parade will begin at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. It will process north on Broad Street, loop around the western side of Philadelphia City Hall, then travel down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway before ending at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

It’s the same route the parade took in 2018 after the Eagles’ last Super Bowl victory.

A ‘formal program’ will take place outside the front of the museum starting at 2 p.m. ET, according to the city government.

Weather forecast for Eagles Super Bowl parade

AccuWeather forecasts a ‘sunny to partly cloudy’ day on Friday. Temperatures will reach a high of 38 degrees and a low of 25 degrees.

Will Taylor Swift be at the Super Bowl parade?

Though Swift spent most of her early life in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and has repped the Eagles in the past, she is currently in a relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. It’s highly unlikely she will attend Philadelphia’s Super Bowl parade for her childhood team.

The NFL’s legal tampering period begins on March 10 while the new league year starts at 4 p.m. ET on March 12. There are several prominent players from around the league that could be on the move this offseason.

Tee Higgins, Trey Smith, Chris Godwin and Sam Darnold are a few offensive players who might be wearing different uniforms next year. While defensive standouts such as Jevon Holland, Khalil Mack and Josh Sweat some defenders who could be headed elsewhere.

Where might the top free agents land? USA TODAY Sports examines the best fits for the top 25 free agents.

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NFL free agency best fits

Tee Higgins (2024 team: Bengals)

Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert lacks weapons. The Chargers are in desperately need of an X receiver to play alongside of slot man Ladd McConkey.

Trey Smith (2024 team: Chiefs)

Best fit: Houston Texans

Smith is one of the best guards in the NFL. He posted a 75% run block win rate during the regular season, via ESPN.

Based on Super Bowl 59, the Kansas City Chiefs can ill-afford to weaken their O-line. But the Chiefs might not be able to afford the standout guard. Houston could swoop in.

Chris Godwin, wide receiver (2024 team: Buccaneers)

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh doesn’t have a reliable wide receiver outside of George Pickens. Godwin produces when he’s on the field. He can also be a mentor for Pickens who sometimes doesn’t play up to his potential.

Jevon Holland, safety (2024 team: Dolphins)

Minnesota can certainly revamp its safety room. Veteran Harrison Smith is contemplating retirement and Camryn Bynum is a free agent. Holland would be a huge boost of youth and athleticism to the Vikings defensive backfield.

D.J. Reed, cornerback (2024 team: Jets)

Reed is a bit undersized at 5-9, but he has good coverage skills. He allowed a 57% completion percentage and two touchdowns when targeted during the 2024 NFL season.

Reed could reunite with former Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in Atlanta. The new Falcons DC knows Reed’s skillset well.

Ronnie Stanley, tackle (2024 team: Ravens)

Stanley has battled injuries during his career but was durable for the Ravens in 2024. He started every game for Baltimore and established himself as the top left tackle available in free agency.

The Ravens are still a Super Bowl contender. It’ll behoove Baltimore to bring Stanley back.

Stefon Diggs, wide receiver (2024 team: Texans)

Best fit: Houston Texans

Diggs suffered a torn ACL during his first season in Houston and seems more suited as a No. 2 receiver at this stage of his career.

The Texans have a void at wide receiver after Tank Dell’s gruesome knee injury. Dell likely won’t return for the 2025 season. Nico Collins and Diggs fit well in Houston offense in limit action. 

Khalil Mack, edge (2024 team: Chargers)

Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers

Mack has long been a disruptive edge rusher, winning the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and making it to nine Pro Bowls. He has been the Chargers’ best and most consistent pass rusher over the last four seasons.

Amari Cooper, wide receiver (2024 team: Bills)

Cooper joined the Bills via trade in October but never connected with Josh Allen. Cooper turns 31 in June but is still a very good route runner.

Marvin Harrison Jr. was asked to be Arizona top wide receiver on Day 1. He performed well but didn’t quite live up to expectations. Cooper’s veteran leadership and presence on the field would be advantageous for Harrison and the Cardinals pass offense.

Zack Baun, linebacker (2024 team: Eagles)

Baun enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, racking up a career-best 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks while forcing five fumbles. He had a team-high seven tackles and one interception in Super Bowl 59. The linebacker earned himself a big payday this offseason.

The Eagles can’t let Baun walk out the door after his breakout year. The 28-year-old was named a first-team All-Pro and is entering what should be the prime of his career.

Sam Darnold, quarterback (2024 team: Vikings)

Darnold posted career-highs in every major statistical quarterback category, including yards (4,319), touchdowns (35) and passer rating (102.5). However, he reverted back to his journeyman QB form in his final two games of the season.

Josh Sweat, edge (2024 team: Eagles)

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

Sweat led the Eagles with eight sacks and tallied 54 pressures during the regular season. The edge rusher produced a game-high 2.5 sacks in what was a dominant Super Bowl 59 performance.

Sweat changed is representation, which is a sign he’s seeking a big pay raise. Will the Eagles be able to re-sign him? He’ll have plenty of suitors, especially after his play in Super Bowl 59. Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and Sweat would form an imposing pass rush duo.

Haason Reddick, edge (2024 team: Jets)

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

The most news Reddick made during the season came from his lengthy holdout. He recorded just one sack in 10 games after skipping part of the season, snapping a streak of four straight seasons with at least 11 sacks.

The Raiders have the salary cap space to splurge on a pass rusher to pair with Maxx Crosby.

Nick Bolton, linebacker (2024 team: Chiefs)

Bolton wears the green dot and is the captain of the Chiefs defense. It would be a big loss for Kansas City’s defense if he bolts in free agency.

Justin Reid, safety (2024 team: Chiefs)

Best fit Kansas City Chiefs

Reid declared he wants to be back in Kansas City after the team’s blowout Super Bowl 59 loss.

Talanoa Hufanga, safety (2024 team: 49ers)

Hufanga is one of the NFL’s better safeties when he’s on the field. Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Pat Surtain and Hufanga would be a scary duo in Denver’s defensive backfield.

DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver (2024 team: Chiefs)

The Diontae Johnson experiment didn’t workout in Baltimore. Maybe the Ravens give Hopkins a try. Hopkins desires to play for a contender at this point in his career.

Charvarius Ward, cornerback (2024 team: 49ers)

The Lions had the 30th ranked pass defense in the NFL last season. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis is slated to hit free agency. 

Cam Robinson, tackle (2024 team: Vikings)

Best fit: Kansas City Chiefs

The Vikings traded for Robinson to help stabilize their left tackle position after Christian Darrisaw went down. Robinson filled in nicely in Minnesota. At 29 years old, he still has plenty of productive years left.

The Chiefs must fortify their offensive line after a disastrous showing in Super bowl 59. Their left tackle spot was a revolving door this year.

Aaron Jones, running back (2024 team: Vikings)

Maybe Jones and the Vikings can agree on a team-friendly deal. A veteran running back would benefit J.J. McCarthy entering his second season – which would essentially be a redshirt rookie year.

Keenan Allen, wide receiver (2024 team: Bears)

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

Allen will be 33 years old at the start of next season and saw his numbers decline during his first year in Chicago. However, he is still a savvy route runner.

Allen reportedly said he’ll only play in Chicago or Los Angeles next year. A reunion with the Chargers seems unlikely since he and Ladd McConkey both operate primarily out of the slot. The Rams would be intriguing.

Byron Murphy, cornerback (2024 team: Vikings)

Best fit: Minnesota Vikings

Murphy earned his first Pro Bowl invitation after registering a career-best 81 tackles and six interceptions.

Murphy’s play warrants strong consideration for the Vikings to bring him back.

Carlton Davis, cornerback (2024 team: Lions)

Davis started 13 games for the Lions in 2024 and helped improve their cornerback room, which was a weakness in 2023. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured jaw late in the season.

The Jaguars had the NFL’s worst pass defense in 2024, allowing 257 yards per game. Jacksonville could use a lot of help in its secondary.

Drew Dalman, center (2024 team: Falcons)

Dalman allowed two sacks and 10 pressures in 554 snaps at center. He missed time because of an ankle injury but finished the year with six straight starts.

Do the Falcons really want to let their starting center walk when he’s already established a rapport with Michael Penix Jr.? Dalman is the top center on the open market.

Russell Wilson, quarterback (2024 team: Steelers)

Wilson helped the Steelers get into the playoffs, but the team’s passing offense never really got going. The Steelers are probably going to bring back either Wilson or Justin Fields. Fields has the higher upside at this point in their respective career.

The are rumors that the Steelers could re-sign Wilson for another go around. Fields figures to have a few suitors elsewhere. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

So the joke goes something like this: Nick Saban is the only person who successfully stopped Jalen Hurts.

But before we get into rehashing the past or who did what and why, maybe the fall and rise of Hurts can be a teaching moment for college football quarterbacks of the now generation. 

Maybe, if we look real close, Hurts isn’t the outlier. He’s part of an undeniable quarterback trend that can no longer be ignored. 

“There’s untold value in failure,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart told me last summer. 

Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of that.

Somewhere, amid the hustle and bustle of free player movement and NIL deals, and if it doesn’t work here, there’s always the transfer portal, is a story of reality everyone needed.

The story of the young quarterback from suburban Houston who arrived at Alabama in 2016 as a midterm enrollee, and it took all of one quarter in the season opener for Saban to realize Hurts had to be on the field. If you think that’s an improbable ride, consider these next steps:

— But for an improbable, two-minute touchdown drive from DeShaun Watson and Clemson, Hurts would’ve been a national championship quarterback as a freshman. 

— A year later, after leading Alabama to 25 wins in 27 starts, Hurts was benched at halftime of the College Football Playoff national championship game against Georgia for freshman Tua Tagovailoa.

— A year after that, after the humility of losing the starting job again in fall camp, Hurts stayed at Alabama and eventually replaced an injured Tagovailoa in the SEC championship game. And led a comeback victory. 

Only then did Hurts transfer to Oklahoma, where he led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. Only then did he persevere five more years before finally completing the road to redemption with a Super Bowl championship. 

From benched in the then-biggest moment of his athletic career, to coming all the way back to being named MVP of the Super Bowl. That’s the value of failure. 

That’s Hurts, whose cell phone wallpaper was a photo of his dejected self after losing Super Bowl LVII in 2023. For two years that photo was the first and last thing he saw every day.

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

But Hurts isn’t alone in his unique battle with failure. 

Nearly a year ago, Kansas State told Will Howard after four seasons in the program it was moving forward with uber-talented sophomore Avery Johnson. So Howard signed with Ohio State, absorbed two brutal losses to Oregon and Michigan, then played the best four-game stretch of his college career and won it all. 

Stetson Bennett failed at Georgia, was told he wouldn’t play quarterback for the Bulldogs and left to play in junior college. He returned a year later, and eventually won back-to-back national titles in 2021-22.  

Joe Burrow failed for three seasons to win the starting job at Ohio State, transferred to LSU in 2018, and in 2019 had the greatest individual season in the modern era of college football ― and won the national title and Heisman Trophy.

See a trend? 

The issue in college football isn’t the transfer portal. It’s giving up.

The issue isn’t players making money off their name, image and likeness, it’s players gaming the system for more money while ignoring the beautiful slog of the grind. 

It’s quarterbacks, the most important position on the field and the one position with more turnover than any other, hopping from team to team, and dream to dream. 

It’s avoiding failure and all the potential to learn and develop from it, for the easy money and easy out of the next team.

Four of the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports composite ranking, are no longer with their original teams. Five of the top 10 from 2023 aren’t, either.

Free player movement was a pipe dream when Hurts was benched in 2017, and then didn’t win the job again in his junior season of 2018. Only after graduating early from Alabama prior to the start of the 2019 season, could Hurts use a graduate transfer rule to play immediately at Oklahoma. 

But think about this: he could’ve left Alabama during the fall camp of 2018, when it was clear Tagovailoa was the team’s starter. He could’ve sat out a season, and still played in 2019 at Oklahoma.

The beautiful slog changed him. Just like it did Bennett and Burrow and Howard after him. 

Like it did for Bo Nix and Kurtis Rourke and maybe even Arch Manning.

There is value in failure. It doesn’t take a Super Bowl trophy to see it.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

Florida men’s basketball is without one of its biggest pieces in its road matchup against Mississippi State — metaphorically and literally.

Just 30 seconds into his team’s game against the Bulldogs on Tuesday night, Gators forward Alex Condon left the game with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

No. 3 Florida was already shorthanded entering the contest, with guard Alijah Martin sidelined with a hip injury he suffered last Tuesday in a win against Vanderbilt. Without Martin and Condon, coach Todd Golden’s Gators are down two of their top four scorers.

Here’s an injury update on Condon and whether he’s expected to return to the game for Florida:

Alex Condon injury update

On Florida’s opening offensive possession of the night, Condon landed on an opponent’s ankle, had his own ankle turn at an awkward angle and went to the ground in visible pain.

After being tended to by team trainers, he was unable to put weight on his ankle as he was taken off the court and back to the Gators’ locker room.

Condon will not return to Tuesday night’s game, a school spokesperson told ESPN.

Condon has been an instrumental force in Florida’s 20-3 start to the season, which most recently included a 90-81 road victory against then-No. 1 Auburn Saturday, which snapped the Tigers’ 14-game win streak.

The 6-foot-11 sophomore had 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the win, while making seven of his 10 shots from the field. For his efforts, he was named SEC Player of the Week on Monday.

Condon is averaging 11 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game — the last two of which are team highs — this season.

The U.S. Open is making a big bet on the potential of mixed doubles, fundamentally changing the format of the tournament in ways that will draw significant curiosity and controversy when the final Grand Slam of the tennis season kicks off in late August. 

Here are the four major changes the USTA announced on Tuesday:

Instead of 32 teams, the draw will be limited to 16 with eight of those teams getting in on the basis of combined singles rankings and eight wildcards to be given out by the tournament. 
The mixed doubles matches will be played on Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums the week before the main singles and doubles draws begin while the qualifying tournament is taking place on the outside courts, effectively extending the U.S. Open to a full-fledged three week event. 
The matches will be played in a so-called ‘Fast Four’ format, with short sets (first-to-four games with a tiebreaker at 4-4 instead of first-to-six), no-ad scoring and a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a full third set. Only the final will be played with a first-to-six format.
Prize money is being bumped up to $1 million to the winning team as opposed to last year’s $200,000 top prize. 

Why are these changes being made? For one primary reason: To encourage more highly-ranked singles players to participate in mixed doubles.

Star power could boost interest in Grand Slam mixed doubles

Long an afterthought at the Grand Slams, mixed doubles is generally relegated to the outside courts and rarely have teams with enough star power to generate much buzz. But anecdotally, there’s clear interest in the concept when players that fans recognize participate.

At last year’s U.S. Open, for instance, there was standing room only seating on Court 11 when the boyfriend-girlfriend team of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa played (and lost) to Santiago Gonzalez and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico. Andy Murray and Serena Williams teamed up at Wimbledon in 2019 and won a couple rounds, electrifying crowds. And there have been some memorable mixed doubles matches at national team events like the Olympics and Hopman Cup, where Williams and Roger Federer faced off against each other in a U.S.-Switzerland match in 2019.

‘It truly is something unique in sport where you have the best athletes, male and female, competing on the same field of play at the same time against one another,’ USTA executive director Lew Sherr told The Athletic. ‘It doesn’t exist in other professional sports.’

But it only happens rarely in tennis because the WTA and ATP tours don’t intersect other than at the Grand Slams and a few other 1000-level events, which very rarely offer mixed doubles other than some exhibition play due to a variety of factors including scheduling and court availability. 

At the Grand Slams, though, players generally either focus on singles or doubles. Sometimes top women like Coco Gauff will enter doubles (she won the 2024 French Open title with Katerina Siniakova while also advancing to the semifinals in singles), but rarely will a highly-ranked singles player enter all three events these days. It’s simply too demanding physically, especially for the men playing best-of-five sets in singles. 

There have also been situations where top players may enter mixed doubles but then withdraw as they advance in singles. That’s what happened last year when Emma Raducanu bailed on her partnership with Murray at his final Wimbledon, citing a sore wrist as she reached the fourth round of the singles draw. 

With the U.S. Open’s changes, that shouldn’t happen in the future unless there’s a legitimate injury. Though some singles players may not be interested in mixed doubles, the tournament will take place while they are all on site anyway preparing for the main part of the event to start. 

US Open changes will be criticized by some purists

The changes will have some detractors, though, particularly among the tour’s doubles specialists who will be largely shut out of an opportunity to play for a Grand Slam title. 

Former doubles No. 1 Paul McNamee slammed the decision, writing on X that the U.S. Open ‘will not produce a bona fide mixed doubles winner. Devalued from a Grand Slam title to an (exhibition). Let’s just say I’m in shock.’

While McNamee’s criticism will resonate with some purists, it’s not hard to understand why the USTA views mixed doubles as prime ground for experimentation and growing the game – not to mention selling some tickets.

In its previous form, mixed doubles was essentially filler programming for the tens of thousands of people who roam the grounds and outer courts of the U.S. Open with rare bursts of interest when a superstar team would turn up. 

What the USTA can now hope for is, for instance, someone like Gauff teaming up with another American star like Taylor Fritz or Ben Shelton and drawing huge crowds to Arthur Ashe Stadium for a match against, theoretically, players like Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka.

It’s been proven over and over again that mixed doubles can be a big hit with fans when the right players are in the draw. By incentivizing their participation, the U.S. Open believes it can turn an afterthought during Slam weeks into a big event on its own.